Category: Accesswire

A nostalgic, feel-good gourmand perfume that layers with Buttercream Haze Eau de Parfum like two friends who always show up for each other because sometimes, your best friend is your jam.

HALIFAX, NS / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / The 7 Virtues, the trailblazing clean fragrance house behind Vanilla Woods Eau de Parfum, one of the first major clean gourmand vanilla perfumes on the market, announces Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum, a juicy new chapter in the brand’s trademarked Layer Cake^™ story as The 7 Virtues leans into its gourmand roots and leads the clean gourmand perfume craze. Launching exclusively in 2,135 Sephora stores across 19 countries, Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum is the sequel to the brand’s viral success of Buttercream Haze, which debuted in the fall 2025 and became the biggest launch in the brand’s history, selling out in 55 Sephora stores within its first weekend of launch. Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum continues fueling the demand for indulgent, long-lasting clean perfume.

Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum opens with that first spoon-sweet burst of sun-ripened strawberry, a hint of sugared raspberry, and a kiss of sparkling rosé. The heart reveals whipped marshmallow and nutty pistachio, blending into a creamy swirl of warm amber and responsibly sourced vanilla that adds a comforting depth. The result is an effervescent, nostalgic gourmand that feels playful, cozy, and quietly sophisticated. The composition was created with responsibly sourced materials and is vegan.

“As kids we layered strawberry jam on cake because we were resourceful. We went strawberry picking, and that memory of the scent of sun-warmed berries and the sweetness of innocent, real friendship is the soul of this perfume,” says Barb Stegemann, Founder & President, The 7 Virtues. “Strawberry Jam + Buttercream Haze is our friendship blend, two notes that belong together. On your worst day, your best friend will be there, and this scent is that hug.”

Layer Cake^™: Bake Your Blend
The 7 Virtues invites clients to head into their local Sephora to “bake” their personal Layer Cake^™ by layering the brand’s unique scent offerings ranging from fresh and fruity to decadent gourmand. Strawberry Jam EDP was designed to pair effortlessly with Buttercream Haze EDP, like jam and frosting, to create a dessert-for-the-soul signature that feels joyful, cozy, and a little cheeky.

Clean, Comforting, and Long-Lasting
Like every perfume from The 7 Virtues, Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum is Clean at Sephora, hypoallergenic, and made with 22 per cent fragrance oils and organic sugar-cane alcohol for a long-lasting clean perfume that lasts up to 24 hours. Each perfume from the brand includes feel-good aromatherapy benefits printed right on the box. The 7 Virtues is also Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free and vegan, and is the only B Corp certified perfume brand at Sephora.

Aromatherapy Benefits
The 7 Virtues unique formulas bring the benefits of aromatherapy to each fragrance. Strawberry Jam EDP is best for spreading joy, savoring the moment, and finding your jam.

Purpose with Every Spritz
In keeping with the brand’s Make Perfume Not War^™ mission, The 7 Virtues donates partial proceeds from every perfume sold to Days for Girls, a global movement working to end period poverty and advance menstrual equity and education for girls and women around the world.

Availability
Strawberry Jam Eau de Parfum launches exclusively online and in-store at Sephora in the US and Canada on February 10, 2026. It will be available in 19 countries globally by Spring 2026. The 50 ml Eau de Parfum will be available for $94 USD / $127 CAD and the 10 ml Travel Spray will be $32 USD / $43.50 CAD.

Founded for Women’s Empowerment
The 7 Virtues perfume brand was born from founder Barb Stegemann’s best-selling book, The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, which serves as the thesis behind the brand. Now in its ninth edition, the book has inspired and empowered women around the world to launch companies, end bullying, and run for office. Readers can download a free eBook by subscribing at www.The7Virtues.com.

The 7 Virtues was founded out of Barb’s commitment to support her best friend, a soldier who was wounded on a peace mission. Since its inception, the brand has chosen to launch around International Women’s Day to shine a light on women’s buying and voting power as a force to build peace and end period poverty.

About The 7 Virtues
Founded by activist, keynote speaker, and best-selling author Barb Stegemann, The 7 Virtues is redefining fragrance with purpose. Launched in 2010 and propelled globally through Dragons’ Den and Sephora’s Accelerate program, the brand creates sustainable, hypoallergenic perfumes designed to blend effortlessly, with lasting power tested up to 24 hours and aromatherapy wellness benefits woven into every formula. Today The 7 Virtues is sold in 2,135 Sephora stores globally across 19 countries and is the only certified B Corp perfume brand at Sephora, empowering people to wear fragrance as a force for good. The brand brings scent to life at its Perfume Atelier in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where guests can design their own fragrances, with additional ateliers planned for 2026.

Press Contact
Samantha McNeil
samantha@samanthamcneil.com

SOURCE: 7 Virtues Beauty USA LLC

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New data reveals infrastructure blind spots are driving preventable incidents, security lag, and a growing AI readiness gap across healthcare.

BOULDER, CO / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / WanAware, an innovator in intelligent observability, today released a new benchmark report, The Healthcare IT Visibility Gap: More Tools, Less Clarity, revealing how healthcare organizations’ modernization and AI ambitions are outpacing their ability to see, secure, and manage critical infrastructure. Based on a survey of 600+ healthcare IT leaders across the United States, the report finds that infrastructure visibility remains fragmented despite rising investment in cloud, monitoring tools, and security platforms, with 60% reporting that at least 26-50% of their infrastructure is insufficiently monitored, driving preventable incidents, security detection lag, and growing risk as AI adoption accelerates.

“There’s a widening gap between how modern healthcare environments are built and how well they’re actually understood,” said Jeff Collins, CEO of WanAware. “Organizations are deploying more tools and pushing forward with AI initiatives, but without a unified view of their infrastructure, risk becomes embedded in daily operations.

The Visibility Gap Beneath Healthcare Modernization

The report finds that visibility gaps persist across every layer of healthcare IT, including network infrastructure, cloud workloads, endpoints, and medical devices and IoMT. These blind spots often sit directly beneath patient-facing systems, where failures can go undetected until performance degrades or clinical workflows are disrupted.

This lack of end-to-end visibility has tangible consequences. According to the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, the healthcare sector experienced 1,710 security incidents and 1,542 confirmed data disclosures, underscoring how blind spots continue to persist despite increased spending on security and monitoring technologies.

More Tools, Less Clarity

Healthcare organizations have responded to growing complexity by adding more tools, but the report shows this strategy is reaching its limits. On average, respondents report relying on six to ten monitoring and asset management tools, with 40% using seven or more. Despite this expansion, fewer than one-third say those tools are fully integrated. As tool stacks grow, clarity declines.

Preventable Incidents and Security Detection Lag

Fragmented visibility is already driving recurring disruptions. Forty-two percent of healthcare organizations experience infrastructure incidents monthly or more often, while nearly eight in ten report incidents at least quarterly that could have been prevented with better visibility. Security detection continues to lag as well. Only 28% of respondents say they detect the majority of security incidents internally through their own tools, while nearly half detect 40% or less. For most organizations, incidents surface through clinicians, IT users, vendors, or external alerts, after impact has already begun.

The Emerging AI-Readiness Gap

Despite these challenges, optimism remains high. Seventy-two percent of healthcare leaders say they are prepared or fully prepared for AI-enabled applications, even as limited integration, incomplete observability, and low automation levels persist beneath the surface, suggesting confidence is outpacing operational reality. As a result, AI initiatives are being layered on top of environments leaders cannot fully see or trust, inheriting the same blind spots that already drive outages and security exposure.

“The path forward lies in unified, real-time infrastructure visibility that serves as the system of record for operations, security, and transformation,” said Collins. “Healthcare organizations that close the visibility gap will not only reduce preventable incidents, but also strengthen resilience, accelerate modernization, and build a trustworthy foundation for AI-enabled care.”

The Healthcare IT Visibility Gap report is based on an independent survey of 600 US-based healthcare IT leaders spanning executive, network operations, and security roles that was conducted in January 2026. Download the full report here.

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ABOUT WANAWARE:

WanAware is an innovator in intelligent observability, dedicated to solving the most pressing challenges in IT performance, availability, and security monitoring. By leveraging advanced technologies, including AI and machine learning, WanAware delivers actionable insights that empower organizations to achieve operational excellence. For more information, visit www.wanaware.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nina Pfister, MAG PR at nina@mooringadvisorygroup.com; T: 781-929-5620.

SOURCE: WanAware

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MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Athena Bitcoin Global (OTC PINK:ABIT) (“Athena” or the “Company”), a leading international operator of Bitcoin ATMs and digital asset fintech solutions, today announced that Carlos Carreño, Chief Operating Officer of Athena Bitcoin, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Financial & International Business Association (FIBA).

The Financial & International Business Association (FIBA) is a not-for-profit trade association serving the international financial community through globally recognized training and certification programs, industry-leading conferences, and a premier membership network supporting excellence across global banking, payments, compliance, and financial services. The organization plays a critical role in shaping regulatory dialogue, promoting best practices, and advancing collaboration across the international banking and financial services ecosystem.

“I’m honored to join the FIBA Board and contribute to advancing dialogue between traditional banking, fintech, and digital asset innovation on a global scale,” said Carlos Carreño, Chief Operating Officer of Athena Bitcoin. “As financial services continue to evolve, collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors is essential to building resilient, inclusive financial systems. I look forward to working with FIBA’s leadership to promote regulatory clarity, best practices, and responsible innovation across international markets.”

As Chief Operating Officer at Athena Bitcoin, Carreño leads all operational aspects of one of the largest Bitcoin ATM networks in the world, overseeing the daily operations of more than 3,000 Bitcoin ATMs across 35 U.S. states and international markets including Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Under his leadership, Athena has achieved unprecedented operational scalability while maintaining the rigorous compliance standards typically associated with traditional banking institutions, a rare combination in the rapidly evolving digital asset sector.

Carreño brings more than 30 years of distinguished experience spanning global banking institutions and fintech innovation. A recognized authority in financial crime and cross-jurisdictional regulatory compliance, he has held senior leadership roles at HSBC LATAM and Citibank, where he served as Global Head of Financial Crime Compliance for International Private Banking. In these roles, he guided multinational regulatory strategy across private wealth, consumer banking, and correspondent banking, architecting high-impact AML frameworks, advancing sanctions governance, and leading global investigations across the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

At Athena Bitcoin, Carreño has been instrumental in bridging the precision of traditional banking with the innovation of fintech, ensuring both scalability and regulatory alignment in one of the most complex and highly scrutinized sectors in finance. His leadership has positioned Athena as a model for compliance excellence in the digital asset space, demonstrating that cutting-edge financial technology and world-class regulatory governance can coexist.

Carreño’s election to FIBA’s Board of Directors reflects his standing as a trusted leader in financial crime risk management and his proven ability to navigate high-risk products and markets through complex regulatory environments across multiple jurisdictions. His appointment underscores the continued convergence of traditional banking and digital assets, as well as Athena Bitcoin’s commitment to operating with the highest standards of compliance, operational excellence, and global industry leadership.

About Athena Bitcoin Global

Athena Bitcoin Global operates an international network of Athena Bitcoin kiosks, which are freestanding kiosks that permit customers to buy or sell Bitcoin in exchange for fiat currencies. The Company places its machines in convenience stores, shopping centers, and other easily accessible locations in thirty-five U.S. states and territories, and in four countries in Central and South America. Athena Bitcoin Global’s comprehensive fintech platform enables POS merchant payments powered by Athena Pay, and the Company provides safe, reliable, and personalized trading services through its Athena Plus services. To learn more, visit www.athenabitcoin.com or follow Athena Bitcoin Global on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About FIBA

The Financial & International Business Association (FIBA) is a not-for-profit trade association serving the international financial community through globally recognized training and certification programs, industry-leading conferences, and a premier membership network supporting excellence across global banking, payments, compliance, and financial services.

For more information, visit www.fiba.net.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to anticipated industry collaboration, organizational impact, and strategic initiatives. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including market conditions, regulatory developments, and organizational priorities. Athena Bitcoin Global specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact

Rachele Andrejczak
Director of Marketing, Athena Bitcoin, Inc.
rachele@athenabitcoin.com
(786) 347-6242

SOURCE: Athena Bitcoin Global

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Haven applies artificial intelligence to modernize incident investigations, root cause analysis, and prevention across high-risk industries

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Haven Safety AI today announced its official launch. The company was co-founded in partnership with The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES), a global energy company operating in 12 countries and AI Fund, the venture studio founded by Andrew Ng. Haven is an AI-native platform designed to help organizations investigate incidents faster, uncover systemic risk, and prevent serious injuries before they occur.

Workplace safety remains one of the most operationally critical yet technologically underserved functions inside large enterprises. While traditional safety metrics and compliance programs helped reduce injuries, the industry has hit a serious injury and fatality (SIF) plateau, where serious incidents and fatalities persist despite years of investment in reporting and compliance. In addition to their irreparable impact on workers and their families, workplace injuries cost the U.S. economy more than $160 billion each year.

The company’s platform acts as an AI copilot for safety teams. It guides structured witness statements, automatically gathers evidence, synthesizes timelines, identifies root causes, and recommends corrective actions grounded in both regulatory standards and an organization’s historical data. Haven delivers measurable impact from day one by driving rapid gains in investigation efficiency, quality, and consistency; reducing repeat incidents; and enabling long-term improvements in risk exposure and serious incident reduction. Over time, the system develops institutional memory, enabling predictive insights and earlier intervention.

Haven is led by Joseph Hanna, a seasoned entrepreneur and product strategist with deep experience in leveraging AI to build operating systems for complex enterprise environments.

“Every serious incident leaves behind a trail of signals, but today those signals are scattered across interviews, documents, and disconnected systems,” said Hanna, Co-Founder and CEO of Haven. “We built Haven to connect those dots automatically. Our goal is simple: help safety leaders understand risk sooner, act faster, and prevent the next incident rather than just documenting the last one.”

“Safety investigations are critical and their outcomes affect human lives, regulatory compliance, and organizational trust. Yet they generate vast amounts of complex, unstructured data that most organizations still analyze manually,” said Andrew Ng, Managing General Partner at AI Fund. “By combining modern AI with deep domain context, Joseph Hanna and the Haven team are on a trajectory to dramatically improve both the speed and quality of decision-making in high-consequence safety investigations.”

The platform is organized into integrated modules that support the full lifecycle of safety management:

• havenSIGHT automatically collects witness statements, processes images, and frontline observations

• havenEDGE analyzes incidents, surfaces causal patterns, and recommends corrective actions

• havenIMPACT tracks outcomes over time and identifies leading indicators of future risk

Together, these capabilities transform safety from reactive reporting into proactive prevention.

“We are committed to using every tool we can to see our team members home safely at the end of every workday,” said Chris Shelton, AES Chief Product Officer and President, AES Next. “We are excited to launch Haven through our partnership with AI Fund, turbocharging safety programs across electricity and other industries. Haven allows our crews and safety teams to quickly digest more insights than traditional tools on the market, going from incident, to cause, to corrective actions at unprecedented speed and scale.”

Haven is initially focused on industries with complex operations and elevated risk profiles, including energy, utilities, construction, manufacturing, and logistics. After a year and a half of building, testing, and field validation, the platform is now live.

For more information, visit www.havensafety.com.

About Haven Safety AI
Haven Safety AI, a trademark of Haven Safety Corporation, provides an AI-native platform for incident investigations, root cause analysis, and proactive risk reduction. By combining artificial intelligence with a structured industry knowledge graph, Haven helps organizations capture frontline insights, analyze systemic causes, and continuously improve safety performance. For more information, visit www.havensafety.com.

About AI Fund
AI Fund is a venture studio that partners with entrepreneurs to build AI-first companies that solve real-world problems. Founded by Andrew Ng, AI Fund helps launch and scale category-defining businesses powered by artificial intelligence. For more information, visit www.aifund.ai.

About The AES Corporation
The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) is a Fortune 500 global energy company accelerating the future of energy. Together with our many stakeholders, we’re improving lives by delivering the greener, smarter energy solutions the world needs. Our diverse workforce is committed to continuous innovation and operational excellence, while partnering with our customers on their strategic energy transitions and continuing to meet their energy needs today. For more information, visit www.aes.com.

Media Contact: jane@havensafety.com

SOURCE: Haven Safety Corporation

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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / The 2026 tax filing season began Monday, January 26, and everybody is expecting bigger refunds this year due to the 2025 tax changes. In the prior filing season, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processed over 140 million individual returns, with roughly 60% of taxpayers receiving refunds averaging around $3,000.

The dramatic increase stems largely from retroactive tax benefits included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Notable changes include temporary federal tax deductions for tipped wages and overtime hours, as well as an expected higher standard deduction for the 2026 tax year and beyond.

The law also created a $10,000 maximum annual deduction for auto loan interest on new vehicles with final assembly in the United States, which includes many foreign-brand vehicles. However, the deduction only applies to new vehicles (not used), loans (not leases), and personal use (not business). It also phases out for taxpayers with incomes above $100,000 for single filers or $200,000 for joint filers.

It seems like the most significant relief is reaching service and manufacturing workers who regularly earn tips or long overtime hours. Workers can now deduct up to $25,000 in tipped income and $12,500 (single filers) in overtime taxable wages. In other words, that’s meaningful savings for hourly employees nationwide. For example, a restaurant server who worked double shifts and accumulated significant tips throughout the year previously faced a hefty tax bill. Now, by deducting a portion of this income, they retain more of their hard-earned money, enabling better financial planning and more disposable income for essentials or small luxuries.

The expanded standard deduction provides additional relief throughout various income brackets, while the auto loan interest deduction offers particular value to families with debt on American-made vehicles. Combined, these provisions represent a major policy shift that benefits working households.

The marketing team at Priority Tire recently conducted comprehensive research to understand how consumers are spending their tax refunds. They surveyed around 5,000 customers nationwide, and the findings show that most recipients are directing funds toward everyday necessities, such as groceries and household essentials.

Strategic household investments are also gaining traction among recipients. For example, travel seems to be making a notable comeback, with approximately 20% more vacation and trip reservations compared to last spring. This suggests that families feel more financially comfortable spending on leisure after several years of a constrained budget.

However, one of the most striking trends is in automotive maintenance. The survey data revealed that consumers are prioritizing the two elements most critical to vehicle safety: new tires and brake system improvements.

“We’re seeing customers who’ve been putting off maintenance finally able to take care of their vehicles,” said a Priority Tire representative. “It’s rewarding to help them address safety concerns they’ve had to delay, so they can drive with confidence knowing their cars will stay reliable for years to come.”

Additionally, the data suggest that the combination of larger refunds and the new auto loan deduction provides both the financial capacity and the incentive for vehicle owners to maintain their existing vehicles rather than put off important safety repairs.

​The deadline for filing 2025 tax returns falls on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The IRS expects to process more than 164 million individual tax returns this filing season, which is among the highest totals recorded. Tax officials strongly encourage electronic filing combined with direct deposit, as this ensures refunds arrive within the typical 21-day processing period. However, it’s important for filers to be aware of common refund delays caused by errors in their submissions or by the need for additional identity verification. Paper filings can greatly extend wait times, especially during peak submission weeks.

As filing season continues through mid-April, similar spending patterns are predicted as more households receive their refunds and determine how best to allocate the additional funds.

Contact: Daniel Stipic
Phone: (484) 588-5293
E-mail: daniel@prioritytire.com

SOURCE: Priority Tire

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RICHARDSON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Optex Systems Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:OPXS), a leading manufacturer of precision optical sighting systems for domestic and worldwide military and commercial applications, announced today it has been awarded a new contract from a U.S. Government Prime Contractor, in support of a Night Vision Goggle system. The order value is $2.19M with deliveries starting in Q2 of calendar 2026 through early 2027.

“We are proud to continue the legacy of supplying laser protection filters, in high volume, to the U.S. warfighters. Our technical staff is second to none in understanding the physics and manufacturing processes that enable us to be a leader with regard to protecting both equipment and the human eye in battlefield conditions. Our large thin-film coating chambers are specially designed to handle very high volume and high layer count coatings. This is why we remain a key contributor to products of this type and will continue to do so, well into the future.” stated Bill Bates, GM, AOC.

With this order, the current Optex Systems Holdings’ backlog is in excess of $38million.

ABOUT OPTEX SYSTEMS

Optex, which was founded in 1987, is a Richardson, Texas based ISO 9001:2015 certified concern, which manufactures optical sighting systems and assemblies, primarily for Department of Defense (DOD) applications. Its products are installed on various types of U.S. military land vehicles, such as the Abrams and Bradley fighting vehicles, Light Armored and Armored Security Vehicles, and have been selected for installation on the Stryker family of vehicles. Optex also manufactures and delivers numerous periscope configurations, rifle and surveillance sights, and night vision optical assemblies. Optex delivers its products both directly to the military services and to prime contractors. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.optexsys.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the products and services described herein. You can identify these statements by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” and similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies concerning future events, including, but not limited to, any statements regarding growth strategy; product and development programs; financial performance and financial condition (including revenue, net income, profit margins and working capital); orders and backlog; the estimated value of IDIQ contracts; expected timing of contract deliveries to customers and corresponding revenue recognition; increases in the cost of materials and labor; costs remaining to fulfill contracts; contract loss reserves; labor shortages; follow-on orders; supply chain challenges; the continuation of historical trends; the sufficiency of our cash balances for future liquidity and capital resource needs; the expected impact of changes in accounting policies on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows; anticipated problems and our plans for future operations; and the economy in general or the future of the defense industry.

These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs and military spending, the timing of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in the U.S. Government’s interpretation of federal procurement rules and regulations, changes in spending due to policy changes in any new federal presidential administration, market acceptance of the Company’s products, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions and restructurings or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, changes to export regulations, increases in tax rates, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, changes in the market for microcap stocks regardless of growth and value and various other factors beyond our control.

You must carefully consider any such statement and should understand that many factors could cause actual results to differ from the Company’s forward-looking statements. These factors include inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of other risks and uncertainties, including some that are known and some that are not. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. You should carefully evaluate such statements in light of factors described in the Company’s filings with the SEC, especially on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. In various filings the Company has identified important factors that could cause actual results to differ from expected or historic results. You should understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete list of all potential risks or uncertainties.

Contact:

IR@optexsys.com
(972) 764-5718

SOURCE: Optex Systems Holdings, Inc.

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Powered by Elevate, CIX Startup Awards is the Largest National Showcase of Canada’s Most Innovative Emerging, Early, and Growth-Stage Startups

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Elevate has announced the 2026 CIX Startup Awards winners: fourteen exceptional Canadian startups from across the country making an impact in health, climate, defence, fintech and marketing. Over half are impact ventures and three-quarters have female founders or C-level executives. The winners were selected from a pool of over 370 applications, reviewed by 94 leading North American investors.

These award recipients will present in person at the CIX Summit on March 25, 2026 at the Design Exchange in Toronto, connecting with 600+ investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from across North America’s technology ecosystem.

The 2026 CIX Startup Award Recipients:

Emerging Category Recipients:

• PRE Inc. (Marketing Tech)- Toronto, ON

• Sonaro (Healthtech)- Montreal, QC

• Cashew Research (Marketing Tech)- Calgary, AB

• Elle, MD Biotechnologies (Healthtech)- New Minas, NS

• Xubin Aerospace (Defense Tech)- Oakville, ON

Early Category Recipients:

• Qidni Labs (Medtech)- Kitchener, ON

• WeavAir (Climate Tech)- Toronto, ON

• Pontosense (Medtech)- Toronto, ON

• MedMe Health (Healthtech)- Toronto, ON

• LiORA (Climate Tech)- Calgary, AB

Growth Category Recipients:

• Venn (Fintech)- Toronto, ON

• Eavor Technologies (Climate Tech)- Calgary, AB

• Loopio (Sales Automation)- Toronto, ON

• Hiive (Fintech)- Vancouver, BC

A 19-Year Legacy of Celebrating Canada’s Tech Leaders

Over the last 18 years, CIX’s awards program has elevated Canada’s most promising startups to an international audience. This year’s fourteen winners join an illustrious alumni list including Brim Financial, Float Financial, SRTX, ApplyBoard, Clio, League, Wealthsimple, Ada, and Dapper Labs.

The CIX Selection Committee, comprised of over 90 esteemed investors including representatives from Altos Ventures, Antler, Forum Ventures, Inovia Capital, Golden Ventures, Mighty Capital, Panache Ventures, and White Star Capital, evaluated more than 370 submissions, based on six criteria: Business Model, Quality of Offering, Innovation, Market Opportunity, Management Depth, and Leadership team Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. To avoid bias, a minimum of 15 investor judges evaluated each application.

“It is a challenging time for entrepreneurs, and so it was wonderful to see the quality of this year’s CIX winners,” said Neha Kera, Managing Partner at Innovobot Resonance Ventures and CIX Startup Awards Co-Chair. “We are eager to see what else they will accomplish in the years to come, and I hope everyone can learn more about them at CIX”.

“The competition was intense with over 350 applicants, and our selection committee did a stellar job in selecting the winners,” said Matthew Leibowitz, Managing General Partner, Plaza Ventures and CIX Startup Awards Co-Chair. “We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on this year’s recipients and can’t wait to meet them at CIX Summit.”

A Critical Platform in Challenging Times

Amid ongoing trade tensions between the USA and Canada and the lowest level of Canadian VC investment since 2020, the CIX Summit remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthen Canada’s startup ecosystem. The March 25 program facilitates crucial connections between Canadian founders and North American investors while featuring discussions with Canadian unicorn startup leaders who have lessons to share with others taking the same path.

What to Expect at CIX Summit 2026

The program includes founder pitches, networking sessions, interactive roundtables, and 1-on-1 meetings between founders and investors.

Meeting Exchanges: Over 75 investors from across North America will take 1:1 meetings with founders. As each investor will take multiple meetings, there are over 450 meeting opportunities at this year’s Summit.

CIX Investor Forum: A closed-door, exclusive gathering of North American VCs and LPs to network and have off-the-record conversations on the latest trends shaping early-stage and growth investing.

CIX Founder Forum: Practical guidance on raising your seed round with confidence, structuring your cap table to maintain control as you scale, and unlocking non-dilutive capital to extend runway without giving up equity.

Secure Early Bird tickets before February 26, 2026 at CIXSummit.com

About Elevate
Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including the annual Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation, facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace a go-for-gold mentality to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy. Elevate has hosted global icons such as First Lady & Author Michelle Obama, Businesswoman & TV personality Martha Stewart, CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman, Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore, each of whom has inspired millions of people. Learn more at Elevate.ca.

Media can apply for a media pass and access more images by visiting https://cixsummit.com/press-room.

For award winner and CIX Summit interview inquiries, please contact: Amanda Connon-Unda, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Elevate: amanda@elevate.ca

SOURCE: Elevate

Related Documents:

• the-2026-cix-startup-award-recipients

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